Golf ball cleaner



Jan. 24, 1961 J. K. WETHERBY 2,968,825

GOLF BALL CLEANER Filed Nov. 21, 1958 United States Patent C GOLF BALL CLEANER John K. Wetherby, R.F.'D., Roberts, Wis.

Filed Nov. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 715,572

Claims. c1. 15-118) This invention relates to golf ball cleaners. More particularly, it relates to a combined golf ball washing and drying device constituting an attachment for a golf bag which may be readily removed therefrom if desired.

Various items have been designed by various inventors for providing a handy device for cleaning the dirt off a golf ball. Most such devices, however, include merely a means for loosening the dirt from the ball and none of them to my knowledge are constructed so as to provide an everready means for drying and completing the cleaning of the ball. As a result, many of such devices have not proved commercially successful and most golfers prefer not to bother with such devices. My invention is designed to overcome these disadvantages and to provide an attachment for a golf bag which will enhance the enjoyment of the player.

It is a general object is of my invention to provide a novel and improved golf ball cleaning attachment for golf bags.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved golf ball cleaning attachment for golf bags of simple and inexpensive construction which will increase the enjoyment derived from the game by the players.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved golf ball cleaning attachment for golf bags which includes a combined golf ball washing and drying device consolidated into a single handy unit.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

One embodiment of my invention may include, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an almost flat tubular member indicated generally by the numeral 3. The tubular member is preferably formed from a water absorbent fabric such as terry cloth, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

. The tubular member 3 has upper end portions 4 and lower end portions 5, the latter being slitted longitudinally along one of its edge portions as at 6. The upper end portion 4 is provided with a plurality of fastening posts or studs indicated by the numeral 7 on Figs. 1 and 2.

Secured to the upper end portion 4 is a loop 8 which carries a ring 9 which in turn supports a snap 10. This snap 10 is adapted to snap into a ring normally provided on conventional golf bags in order to removably attach the attachment to the golf bag in a position adjacent the top of the latter so that it will always be readily available for the player.

Secured within the upper end portion 4 of the tubular member 3 by means of snap fasteners 11 is a golf ball washing device. The golf ball washing device is comprised of a water proof pocket member 12 which has one of the snap fasteners 11 adjacent its upper end portion Patented! Jan. 24, 1961 and has an inwardly turned lip 13 at its upper end. Disposed within the water proof pocket member 12 is a pocket liner 14 which also is preferably formed of a relatively rough water absorbent material such as terry cloth and is also secured by means of snap fasteners such as is indicated by the numeral 15 at its upper edge portions. It will be noted that the upper end of the pocket liner 14 is disposed and terminates beneath the lip 13 of the water proof pocket 12. If desired, the tubular member 3 may be tacked together at one or more points beneath the pocket 12 as indicated at 16 in Fig. 2.

In use, the pocket liner 14 is moistened sufliciently so that if held aloft alone, water will drip therefrom. It is then placed within the water proof pocket 12 and secured in place by means of the snap fasteners 15 engaging the studs 7 as best shown in Fig. 2. The lip 13 is then turned inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. The purpose of this construction is so that if the attachment is unintentionally up ended water will not run from the pocket 12 but will be held within the pocket by the lip 13.

To utilize my golf ball cleaner, the player merely inserts the ball first between the walls of the pocket liner 14 and rubs the ball briskly by working theball around within the liner with his hands by gripping the exterior of the upper end portion 4 of the tubular member and working the ball backward and forwardly within the liner. In this manner, the dirt and grass stains on the golf ball will be readily loosened and removed from the surface of the ball, but the golf ball will still remain very damp or wet. The ball is then removed by the player from the liner 14 and inserted in the lower end portion 5 of the tubular member 3 between the slitted portions thereof as at 6. The player then merely rubs the ball between the walls of the lower end portion 5 of the tubular member 3 until it is dry and then removes the ball in preparation for play.

It will be noted that because of the slit 6 in the lower end portion 5 of the tubular member 3 the insertion of the ball between the walls of the tubular member 3 is facilitated and in addition, the lower end portion 5 will dry more quickly and hence will always be in a completely dried state at the beginning of each hole of the round of golf.

Because of the water proof nature of the pocket 12, the pocket liner 14 will remain moist for at least several days. This water proof pocket 12 prevents the moisture from passing outwardly from the pocket liner 14 and wetting the tubular member 3.

From the above it will be readily appreciated that I have provided a simple and inexpensive golf ball cleaner which can be manufactured at a minimum of cost and which will substantially increase the enjoyment derived by a golf player because of its handy nature and complete utility in accomplishing the golf ball cleaning function.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf ball cleaning attachment for golf bags comprising a tubular member made of water absorbent fabric having a rough exterior finish and having upper and lower end portions, a golf ball washing device detachably secured within the upper end portion of said tubular member and within which a golf ball may be washed, the lower end portion of said tubular member being open to permit the golf ball after being washed to be inserted within the lower end portion of said tubular member for quick and easy drying thereof, and means connected to said tubular member for securing the same to a golf bag.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular member is flattened cross-sectionally thereby forming a pair of longitudinally extending edgeportions and wherein the lower end portions of said tubular member is slitted along one of said. longitudinally extending edge portions.

'3. The structure defined in claim -1 and a moisture impervious lining disposed between said washing device and said tubular member to preclude the passage of moisture between the former and the latter.

4. A golf ball cleaning device comprising an elongated tubular member made of fabric having high moisture absorbent characteristics and having upper and lower end portions, a golf ball washing device secured within the upper end portion of said tubular member and within which a golf ball may be washed, and a water impervious casingsurrounding said washing device and disposed between the latter and said tubular member to preclude the passage of moisture from said washing device to said tubular member, the lower end portion of said tubular 4 member being open to facilitate the insertion of a golf ball after having been washed in said washing device-into the interior of said lower end portions for quick and easy drying therewithin.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 wherein said casing has a closed bottom portion and an open top portion and an inwardly extending lip portion carried by its top portion and extending inwardly and downwardly into the interior of said washing device to prevent moisture from escaping from the edge portions of said washing device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 892,303 Porter June 30, 1908 1,702,172 Rennie Feb. 12, 1929 2,530,746 Wetherby Nov. 21, 1950 2,862,219 Kaczanowski Dec. 2 1958 

